Hello, it is time for another SKRB Re:PLAY. In July, the arrival of the versatile new hero 'Aris' meant that every single position in SKRB finally unlocked the power of Awakening. Essentially, any party can now crank up their stats through Awakening. With this new hero launching alongside an Awakening, the PvP meta is currently revolving around this shift. The heroes defining this month are Aris and 'Rudy'. Let us dive into the meta analysis and the hero compositions for July.

July Hero Compositions by Content

The Rise of 'Awakened' Heroes Across Positions!

The new Pentagon hero, Aris, has arrived as a versatile unit, ensuring that every position in SKRB now has at least one Awakened hero. While we are still missing a dedicated Defense-type among the new hero roster, the Awakened 'Helenian' and Awakened Rudy are currently dominating the PvP meta with undeniable presence.

In particular, the synergy between Awakened Rudy's counterattacks and stun effects is shaking up the PvP meta. Given the skill set's effectiveness in Arenas, Total War, and Guild Battles, this hero is the subject of intense research among players. I will delve into the details after we look at the July hero composition data.

The 'Counterattack & Co-op' Storm in the Arena

Do you remember the Arena meta from the early days of SKRB? Back then, there were various parties, but a 'Jave Defensive Deck' built around counterattacks briefly took the spotlight. It was an unconventional setup where Jave's counterattacks—technically counted as basic attacks—were paired with rings inflicting crowd control or 'Instant Death' effects. Recently, a composition reminiscent of that era has become the talk of the town.

The star is Awakened Rudy. With the Awakening, some of Rudy's skill specifications were tweaked to grant a counterattack ability. Furthermore, these counterattacks now have a chance to inflict a stun, creating a potent synergy. If fortune favors you, Rudy can essentially turn the opponent's turn into their own. Moreover, for parties relying on immunity to damage for survival, Rudy's incessant counterattacking is a massive headache. This has firmly established Rudy at the pinnacle of the current Arena meta.

Simultaneously, 'Jury', a classic Seven Knights hero who specializes in coordinated attacks, has found a path to redemption. Along with the Rudy rework, coordinated attacks received a significant buff. Once Jury falls and enters the 'Immortal' state, the probability of a coordinated attack skyrockets, and every three skill uses increase turn-based buffs by one turn. This boost in survivability has led many top-tier players to field Jury in serious competitive play. Some are even testing the waters with 'Instant Death' decks by equipping rings similar to how Jave was played in the past.

While the new hero Aris does not technically use basic attack logic, Aris possesses abilities similar to counterattacks. Through the Awakened passive 'Precarious Coexistence', Aris deals damage proportional to the target's defense upon a successful block. Additionally, Aris reduces turn-based buffs by two turns, delivering a perfect counter-punch to survival mechanics like damage immunity and immortality. The common thread among these three heroes is their ability to leverage the opponent's turn as if it were their own. These mechanics are notoriously difficult to counter, ensuring their dominance in the PvP meta for the foreseeable future.

'Seon-ran & Zhuge Liang' Imminent

The current scenario event, 'Yes, I am the Villain', feels quite different from the narrative tone established so far. It is less of a serious story and more of an out-of-continuity side story celebrating the month of Seven Knights. As the warning at the start and end of the scenario suggests, it is a lighthearted piece of fiction.

However, we did encounter a familiar face: Zhuge Liang. Many players had speculated that Zhuge Liang would arrive as a new hero alongside the 'Three Kingdoms' heroes from the Aisha continent—Zhao Yun, Diaochan, Guan Yu, and Lu Bu—but Zhuge Liang appeared in the scenario event instead. Consequently, many adventurers anticipate Zhuge Liang as the next new hero. Speculation leans toward a potential 'sub-DPS' role, and considering the performance in the original series, one can expect Zhuge Liang to shine in PvE content.

Meanwhile, 'Seon-ran', revealed in the last live broadcast, is also waiting for the right moment to enter the fray. As the first hero from a region themed after Korea, there is significant interest surrounding Seon-ran. Judging by the appearance, an Attack-type role seems fitting, but as an original SKRB hero, details remain shrouded in mystery. We will have to wait for the next update to see which parties Seon-ran will empower.